Josh's '98 E38 735iL

[jmphotoworks]

Hey everyone. My names Josh. I'm more active in the E39 subforum but I just picked up my new (soon to be) daily driver and thought i'd share it
Bought it sight unseen interstate and flew over and drove it home the same day. Car drove impeccably but had its faults, but nothing that cant be fixed.

She's a 9/98 oxford green 735iL steptronic with a beige interior.





Standard Equipment:

- style 60 wheels
- sunroof
- MK2 navigation system + hifi sound
- electric front seats with lumbar support and memory

Options:

- climate comfort windscreen
- xenon headlights
- car telephone
- rear sunblind
- roller blinds in rear doors
- headlight intensive washers
- fine wood trim
- ///M leather steering wheel
- servotronic steering

To-Do List:

- rocker cover gaskets
- new expansion tank (preventative maintenance)
- find power steering leak
- replace drivers door window switch
- new front and rear cupholders
- new boot/trunk struts
- fix paintwork on boot/trunklid
- new heater control valve

Will update this as I progress! Pretty happy to own a 7

[Jimmy E34]

Congrats Josh! Good to see another Aussie here. Same deal with me and my E38. Flew there sight unseen and drove it back haha.

Show us some interior pics.

[Nurburgringer]

Congrats! You're almost like my doppelganger down under: also have an E39 ('99 528), just bought a E38 ('01 740i), and it also needed cam cover gaskets (they're off now getting powder coated, also doing expansion tank, hoses and replacing alternator that crapped out ~500miles after purchase...) and maybe a heater valve.
Curious to hear your thoughts on E39 vs E38. To be honest I haven't yet fallen in love with the E38 like I have with the 39. Steering isn't as sharp (recirc vs R&P), throttle response isn't as linear (drive-by-wire vs cable) and I'm not sure that the E38 sport package was the right choice for me. I'm afraid it's like putting running shoes on a fat guy - he'd do much better with big comfy loafers :p
Anyway best of luck with yours and yes lets see some interior pics!

[jmphotoworks]

Congrats Josh! Good to see another Aussie here. Same deal with me and my E38. Flew there sight unseen and drove it back haha.

Show us some interior pics.

haha cheers! which state did you get yours from?

Congrats! You're almost like my doppelganger down under: also have an E39 ('99 528), just bought a E38 ('01 740i), and it also needed cam cover gaskets (they're off now getting powder coated, also doing expansion tank, hoses and replacing alternator that crapped out ~500miles after purchase...) and maybe a heater valve.
Curious to hear your thoughts on E39 vs E38. To be honest I haven't yet fallen in love with the E38 like I have with the 39. Steering isn't as sharp (recirc vs R&P), throttle response isn't as linear (drive-by-wire vs cable) and I'm not sure that the E38 sport package was the right choice for me. I'm afraid it's like putting running shoes on a fat guy - he'd do much better with big comfy loafers :p
Anyway best of luck with yours and yes lets see some interior pics!

haha thanks!

I really, really like my E39 so getting into an E38 was kinda like stepping into familiar territory but not quite the same. I will say that over the 9 hour drive back home I did really grow to like it. I like how smooth the V8 is, how smooth the auto is and just how nice the ride is on the car. Recirculating ball steering isn't as sharp as my E39 but the way I see it, the 7 was never built to be a sports car. As for throttle response; both my E39 and E38 are both drive-by-wire hahaha. My E39 does have an ESS tune where they do optimise the throttle response. I can't comment on the sports package as mine isn't one haha! So I guess, they're two totally different cars but both are good in their own respect

here's a pic of my E39



As for interior pics; this is the only one I have on me at the moment. Will post up some decent ones once I get the headlining fixed!

[dannyzabolotny]

Congrats on the purchase, it looks pretty nice! I also have an E39, except it's a 2003 540i M-Sport with a 6-speed. At some point I want to buy an E38 as well. I'm familiar with the V8, and it'll be nice to have as a luxury barge for cruising around.

[Nurburgringer]

here's a pic of my E39

Interesting that your 7 doesn't have the sport pack, but it does have the M-wheel. Was that ever a stand alone option, or was it swapped in?

Great looking 5er!
When shopping for a 7 I thought I'd sell the 5, but continuing to drive it while the 7 is under the wrench just reinforces what a brilliant car it is, and how it's worth more to me as an extra car than the ~$3k it might bring on the open market. So I'm going to keep them both for the foreseeable future

- - - Updated - - -

Congrats on the purchase, it looks pretty nice! I also have an E39, except it's a 2003 540i M-Sport with a 6-speed. At some point I want to buy an E38 as well. I'm familiar with the V8, and it'll be nice to have as a luxury barge for cruising around.

Definitely drive a non-sport E38 before buying a sport-pack equipped one. From all I had read, and from how much I love the factory sport suspension on my E39 I took a leap of faith that an E38 sport would be the one for me. I'm not saying it's any harsher than the E39, but if you truly want a "luxury" ride for "cruising" the non-sport may be the way to go. The sport's lower diff and tweaked torque converter definitely make starting out and accelerating "sporty".
I wish that I had at least driven a 740iL (sport pack on these is appearance only), although it would have been a tight squeeze in the garage.
Hey with gas so cheap (saw $1.99 here yesterday!) why not a 750iL with all the luxo fixings?

[jmphotoworks]

Interesting that your 7 doesn't have the sport pack, but it does have the M-wheel. Was that ever a stand alone option, or was it swapped in?

Great looking 5er!
When shopping for a 7 I thought I'd sell the 5, but continuing to drive it while the 7 is under the wrench just reinforces what a brilliant car it is, and how it's worth more to me as an extra car than the ~$3k it might bring on the open market. So I'm going to keep them both for the foreseeable future

the sport wheel was optioned on the car

Updates on the car...have had to replace the heater valve, rocker cover gaskets, vanos flange gaskets + 2x o-rings on the lines to the power steering cooler and 2x washers for the banjo bolt on the PS pump.



Car is now leak free (from the front end anyway) and is driving absolutely flawlessly! I have now noticed that there is fuel on the ground when I fill the car up with fuel...hoping its just a seal but deep down I think I know its the common cracked fuel tank issue


some more interior pics for those that wanted to see them...







Here she is just before I got her swapped over onto Victorian registration (from the previous South Australian reg.)



And finally got the two parked next to each other for a cheeky photo